Those Wretched Blubbering Humdingers
by basicwannabes
Summary: "Neville, you sure are acting funny," Luna said with a tinkling laugh. He looked back up into her silver-laced blue eyes, letting go of his tingling stomach, and it hit him - he was in love with Luna. (Part 4: Story Complete)
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **Hey guys, it's Elle! This is my first fanfic ever, really, and it's about Neville and Luna. Obviously. I apologize if it makes you sick to your stomach, and please let me know if there's anything I can fix. Thank you so much for reading! (Sorry, I'm annoying, so I'm going to advertise... Chapter 2 isn't as boring as Chapter 1, so please try to stick it out! ;) Thank you!)_

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It was Saturday, and a lovely one at that. The sun was bright and it bathed the grass in sunshine, the kind that lifted one's spirits like a well-delivered Levitation Charm. Neville stumbled down the slight slope behind the castle, heading toward his personal sanctuary, the Greenhouse. It was about nine in the morning, fairly early for a lot of sixth years like himself to be out from breakfast at, so he walked with a bounce in his step, letting of an aura of carelessness. If no one was out, no one was there to torment him. Namely Slytherins.

_Oy, Longbottom!_ he could imagine Draco Malfoy calling in an excruciatingly snide voice at him. "_Look at those teeth!_" Neville inadvertently began to mimic Malfoy's latest favorite insult. "_They'd be big on a horse! Would you like some help removing them?_" Just the thought of Malfoy's silver blonde hair was enough to send anger pulsing through Neville's veins.

By the time he had reached the Greenhouse, Neville's blood was boiling and his face was flushed with anger and shame. He wished he wasn't a coward - he'd just looked down and tried to dodge Malfoy's efforts - and he wished he could at least stand up for himself. He wished he was more like Harry. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived - and was somehow one of his closest friends - was the most desired boy in the school. It seemed every respectable girl had longed to hold Harry's hand at least once in their five full years at Hogwarts, and Neville had never even kissed a girl. Ever. Sure, once he'd made up a lie about a girl when Dean and Seamus had bothered him about it, but there was really no muggle Jessica with blonde hair and pink lips. As if. The truth was, Neville was an outcast, and he was painfully alone.

"Longbottom, alright?" Neville whirled around to see Professor Sprout striding toward him with a potted mandrake in her arms.

"Er, yeah," he stuttered, standing up straight and willing the flush that had crept up his neck to recede.

"Then you wouldn't mind helping me replant some mandrakes, would you? It's a first year project, I'm sure you could handle it on a Saturday morning."

"No problem," Neville agreed. He was happy to have something to distract his hands and mind, and there was no denying that Herbology was his calling.

Inside, the rhythmic job of prying the mandrakes from their undersized pots and cramming them into larger ones calmed Neville, somehow. The too-tight pink earmuffs squeezed over his ears left room for no noise except that of his own thoughts.

When the last screaming mandrake had been buried, he waited for Professor Sprout's signal to peel the pink wool from his ears, groaning as he did so.

"Shame I couldn't find a bigger pair. Least I could've done for you," she said, giving him a smile.

He exchanged farewells with her before heading back up to the castle. He had no idea what he was going to do today, or what he'd been aiming to do at the Greenhouse in the first place. That was the thing about Saturdays - he couldn't loaf about because his only witnesses were professors who would know he wasn't actually "too busy" to finish his work. Shame.

Neville slipped in through the doors and headed back up to the common rooms. He heard the breakfast chatter as he walked past, but he did not feel compelled to join it. His stomach still lurched at the thought. I must be in some sort of funk, Neville thought to himself as he came to rest before the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Password?" she requested, weaving her fingers through the air in a posh fashion.

Neville cursed his chronic forgetfulness and began to clamber through his thoughts, searching for the password. It had to be in there somewhere. "Oh, please, you know I'm a sixth year! You know me! Please just let me in!"

"Sorry, dear," the Fat Lady chimed. "That's against the rules! Who knows who you could be hiding behind that face! Or those teeth..."

For an already flustered Neville, that was the breaking point. He glared at the stupid oil painting with all the loathing he could muster and stormed off, clenching his fists to keep from pounding them against the wall. He knew he'd probably end up breaking a knuckle or two anyway, and the last thing he needed was another telling-off from Madam Pomfrey.

"Neville," an airy voice chimed. At first, Neville was afraid to turn and see the infamous Professor Trelawney with her mystical voice, but he was in luck. Luna Lovegood was about ten paces behind him, her flowy blonde hair cascading down her shoulders.

"Hi, Luna," he said, his facial expression immediately softening.

"What's wrong?" she asked, coming to a stop in front of him. She had a scarf around her neck and another, this one a triangle shape embellished with tassels, tied around her waist in her whimsical way.

"Uh - Er, nothing," he sputtered, his cheeks flushing. There was something wrong with his stomach. Was he about to throw up?! He clutched his abdomen, ready to whirl around and take off running, but nothing came. Only more tickles, like the ones before.

"Are you alright?" she asked, reaching out to touch his shoulder. Immediately, Neville froze. "It's probably just a B-Blubbering Humdinger or something of the sort," she volunteered, stuttering a bit. "Nothing harmful. I get them sometimes."

Neville didn't reply. His heart was racing faster than he'd ever felt it go before. Faster than when they were sneaking through the Ministry hallways last year, faster than anything like that. Why?

"Neville, you sure are acting funny," she said with a tinkling laugh. He looked back up into her silver-laced blue eyes, letting go of his tingling stomach, and it hit him - _he was in love with Luna._

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_If you guys stuck this out, I love you. Thank you so much for reading. -Elle :) _


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey guys, sorry if this is worse than the last chapter... Please don't hesitate to let me know how you like it. :) _-Elle

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"Alrigh', Neville, I think I'll have to-" Ron's voice, thick with sleep, was interrupted by a yawn. "Have to go to bed. 'Night."

"Night," Neville replied with a small wave, but his mind was still bogged down. Not only the homework - not a month into school, and Snape was already giving him nightmares - but the looming presence of career choices were giving him shaky palms. And now he was left alone in the common room to watch the flames from the fireplace flicker across his face. Alone in his own thoughts.

When Neville had boarded the Hogwarts express two weeks ago, he'd boarded it with a resolution. He'd told himself that he would do good in his classes and, namely, not be so forgetful. He was tired of the Rememberalls and the Howlers, not to mention his reputation as an out-of-sorts coward. He would come come back as a fifteen-year-old boy with a mission. And just as soon as he'd arrived at Hogwarts, he'd ruined it.

Luna Lovegood had been walking with Harry, Hermione, Ron, and, of course, Neville. He was speechless - the whimsical, questionably sane girl from year five seemed different. He couldn't put his finger on it, but she made his stomach lurch and set off into a fit of mad fluttering whenever she talked.

"So, Neville, how was your summer?" Luna asked dreamily. Neville's cheeks immediately blossomed into a vibrant red.

"Why are you so red in the face, mate?" Ron nearly shouted obliviously, reaching out to touch Neville's cheek. "Get a load of this, Harry!"

Neville had smacked Ron's hand down angrily and continued walking, propelling himself several steps ahead of the group.

Now, in the common room, Neville turned bright red once more thinking of Luna. He'd done all he could to ignore her since then, but it only made his emotions more vivid. Not to mention his awkward conversation with her Saturday morning outside the Fat Lady's portrait.

It was now midnight, and he knew he had classes to get to tomorrow, but Neville couldn't even imagine laying down in bed. The feeling of the heavy comforter holding down his body made him want to hyperventilate. In a split-second decision, the messy-haired boy stood up, patted his pocket for his wand, and strode straight out the door.

"Where do you think you're going, young man?" the Fat Lady demanded in an urgent whisper, but he just glared at her. If Filch found him, he was done for, but he just needed to stretch his limbs. Maybe then he'd see a little bit of sanity in his situation.

"Lumos." Neville's wand lit up, illuminating the stone hallway. A few of the portraits lining the walls groaned in protest, covering their acrylic eyes. He whispered an apology and kept up a steady clip down the deserted halls, his breath catching in his throat every time he heard a noise.

Soon enough, Neville's heart had stopped beating so loudly. He did everything he could to keep his mind off of Luna and her blonde hair, for he knew that would only worsen the issue. As he turned another corner, hoping to head back to the common room, he gasped, biting his lip to keep from crying out.

There, on the ground, was Luna herself, splayed out on her stomach. Neville crouched down and tapped her shoulder. "Luna?"

She didn't move. He could see her back rise and fall with her breath, but he was afraid of what he might see if he turned her over.

"Luna!"

Still no response. Gently as he could, Neville turned her body over. Her facial expression was relaxed, her lips slightly parted in sleep. Why was she asleep in the corridor? He knew he was going to have to wake her up and help her back to her common room. Just as he was about to whisper to wake her, he realized he'd been playing absentmindedly with her hair. She's going to think you're a freak, he scolded himself, but her blonde waves entranced him. They were as whimsical as she.

"Hello, Neville." Neville nearly screamed - and certainly jumped - when he heard the voice. He looked back down to see Luna awake. She had stayed as she was, fiddling with the hem of her shirt as if it was the most natural thing in the world to awake to a strange boy playing with your hair.

"Oh my gosh- Uh, sorry, I- I just found you asleep and I was going to wake you and-" By now, he was panicking trying to explain himself. He let go of her hair and scooted back from her on the ground.

"It's quite alright," she assured him, propping herself up to sit against the wall. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was- I needed to get out of the common room, so I went for a walk, and there you were, on the ground!" He winced at his word choice. He sounded like a first year.

"I sleepwalk sometimes. It's really no big deal." Luna smiled at him. His heart nearly exploded. "Neville? Are you alright?" She scooted toward him on the floor and touched her hand to his knee. "You look a little pale."

Neville's eyes widened as he watched her own pale hand come into contact with his knee. His stomach was filled to the brim with gentle butterflies, tickling his insides. "Er, my-my stomach," he stuttered, trying to explain his behavior. "It's a little out of sorts, I guess. Sorry. I'd better go." He began to stand, but she joined him.

"Really, Neville, it's fine. Your stomach is probably just... Just Blubbering Humdingers or something like that." She waved her hands through the air for a moment for emphasis on the probably non-existent creature.

Luna turned her pale face up to Neville's and smiled. "Please sit back down! If neither of us can sleep, why should we go back to our dormitories and lay in bed alone?" She grabbed his hands as she sat back down on the ground, pleading with him to come to rest once more across from her. Neville, his legs already gelatin from their conversation, sat down instantly, letting his hands linger against hers until she slipped them away, slowly and sweetly.

Neville wished he could say it was easy to talk to Luna from the start. The truth was, Neville Longbottom wasn't exactly a romance novel character. He was awkward, and his speech showed just that, but he could feel himself melting into place comfortably next to Luna. The way she threw in something about some creature invisible to the human eye in every other sentence used to annoy him, but now it was quirky in a sweet way. He was just beginning to let become comfortable with her - and finally stop his stuttering and poor word choice - when their perfect moment came to an end. It was too good to be true, anyway.

Luna was sympathizing with Neville about his nearly irrational fear of Snape when the animal rounded the corner. She mewed once, accompanied with a hiss and an arched back, all but gunning them down with her lamp-like yellow eyes.

"Ugh, no!" Neville hissed, leaping forward in an attempt to tackle the cat, but she darted away and began to lope down the hall, undoubtedly back into Filch's scrawny arms.

Before Neville could speak again, a blindingly bright light was thrust before his eyes. Luna let out a startled cry.

"What are you doing out here, you filthy children?" Filch snarled, grabbing each of them harshly by their arms and yanking them up. "Breaking rules for your girlfriend, I see," he hissed again, his face inches from Neville's.

And with that, being dragged down the hall by a livid Filch, Neville had earned his very first detention of year six. Strangely, he wasn't even fazed in the slightest. All he could think about was Luna, and how close she was to his side now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **_Hey, guys, this chapter is a little bit different... In case you can't tell from the beginning, it's set in McGonagall's room, where the two are serving detention for their late night chat session. Thanks so much for reading, and do please try to stick it out. I'll love you forever. -Elle_

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"At least we got McGonagall," Luna whispered, nudging Neville with her elbow. The simple gesture sent him into the same mental hysterics that she'd described as Blubbering Humdingers that first night.

"Right you are," a brisk, authoritative voice contributed. Professor McGonagall clipped past them to sit at the other side of her desk. "So you'd better prove to me that you're worth the trouble, Longbottom." Neville's ears reddened a little.

"Er, Professor, what exactly are we supposed to be doing?" he asked in return. Luna sat quietly at his side, gazing around the classroom contentedly.

"This," the Professor picked up her wand, "pile of essays needs to be measured. Three feet minimum." With a flick of the said wand, a sizeable stack of parchment came to rest before Neville and Luna. The smell of ink wafted through the air. "Don't bother reading them, they're second year work. Won't help you out a bit."

The two began to measure the essays with Muggle rulers in an awkward silence, creating a pile of satisfactory work and a pile of those not so much. McGonagall paced the room, attending to other work and only worsening the uncomfortable tension between Neville and the blonde-haired girl who captivated him so.

After about another ten minutes of measurements and brushing fingers, the door to the classroom burst open. McGonagall and her two detention-bound helpers whipped their heads up simultaneously.

"McGonagall, Quidditch practice..." The Gryffindor student that Neville recognized as a fourth year took a breath before continuing. "The Slytherins tried to take the field when we had it reserved, and that- Malfoy and Harry, they got to arguing, and their teams-"

Professor McGonagall had migrated to the doorway in the time it had taken the student to blurt his tangled words out. "Get to the point, Davies!" she scolded.

"There's a duel!" he cried.

"Alright, Longbottom, Lovegood, I'll be back in five. Continue," she ordered before rushing through the doorway with Davies, wand drawn.

Luna smiled. "There's little difference between a disrespected hippogriff and a Quidditch team some days," she mused, gently setting a wrinkled piece of parchment in the reject pile. Neville laughed.

"I suppose you're right. Me, not as much. A fight usually just makes me nervous," he said easily, not thinking of his words before they left his mouth. As he realized what he said, his mouth flew open in an attempt to hide any so-called weakness he may have shown, but he was cut off by Luna.

"That's what makes you special," Luna told him, letting her ruler fall into her lap. She turned to face him.

"It's also what worries me." Neville turned his eyes back down to look at the messy essay in front of him. "Why am I a Gryffindor, anyway? I'm not brave or honorable or... Maybe Hufflepuff would've been a better choice."

"There is bravery in you, Neville. I can sense it. Somewhere down deep, you're more brave than anyone I've ever met. You're saving it for something important, more important than arguments or duels. More important than Snape." Luna gave Neville a small smile as he looked up to meet her eyes again.

"You're much too kind, Luna Lovegood," he said, giving her a playful smile. "I'm not sure that I deserve to be here with you."

"Funny that you refer to being here as if it's desirable. We're in detention!" Luna joked, her soft voice holding a hint of flirtation to comply with Neville's playfulness. She reminded him of pastel colors with her softness in personality and looks, and she sent his cheeks into a mad flush and his heart into a wild frenzy. Neville was rendered madly in love, more and more crazily with every finger brush and every collision.

"It is McGonagall's class," he offered. "And we are here alone, thanks to that git Malfoy for drawing our chaperone away."

Luna laughed, a tinkling bell-like sound. The beaded scarf around her neck rattled along with her voice.

And gone was the awkward silence, just like that. They talked comfortably, even measuring the rest of the parchments as they spoke, and their conversation knew no limits. Eventually they reached the inevitable topic of Herbology class. Luna, though a year behind Neville in classes, had a considerable interest in the course, though not as much as he. His passion and skill in the class was yet another reason he felt more closely tied to Hufflepuff House than he did to Gryffindor in some ways.

"It's a shame we don't have that class together," Luna chimed, her eyes bright. She may have been known for her dreamy demeanor, but it vanished when she talked to Neville. The clouds in her eyes cleared away, and their silvery blue irises were clear and bright like a sunny day's sky. She was alert.

"A right shame," he agreed, tossing another essay into the passing pile. "It'd beat having to share with Malfoy, that's for sure."

Luna laughed, letting off another whimsical observation in her equally exotic voice, but Neville didn't hear her. He was too busy being bewildered by the fact that he and Luna had come so far in only a matter of days. He was astonished, and lucky, that she willingly held conversation with him - a trait he had yet to find in a female aside from Hermione and Ginny - just as much as he was disarmed by her beauty, inside and out. Her pale visage and hair to match reminded him of a porcelain doll, for she possessed a fragile kind of beauty. He knew, though, that even with her quirky personality and atypical clothing choices, that she held a very Gryffindor-like flame inside her. Perhaps it was akin to the one she spoke of inside of him, something that only came out in the most dire of situations. Whatever the cause, he had seen it blazing last year at the Ministry. She looked of glass, but when you shattered her, her insides held something much more beautiful and much more strong.

"Neville?" Luna interrupted. "Are you okay?" He blinked rapidly to clear his mind. Obviously it hadn't worked, though, judging by the words that left his lips directly afterward.

"Do you want to go out sometime?"

As soon as the question was spoken, he regretted it. His mind, now in "logical" - or typical - mode, rushed to clear the error. "I mean, like, we could invite Harry and Ron and Hermione, too-"

"Neville, I'd love to go to dinner. Just with you." Luna's voice was void of dreaminess as she looked straight at him, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

"Really?" the boyish wizard asked, slightly bewildered.

"Really. We could always stop by Dogweed and Deathcap beforehand. I've heard myth about a potion that can aid in the attraction of a Crumple Horned Snorklack - you know, in case I ever go to Sweden - and I don't think I'd like to risk Snape catching me looking through his cabinets for ingredients. And then we could find a nice corner table at The Three Broomsticks and order some Butterbeer and..." Luna's light voice trailed off when she noticed the dreamy expression with which Neville was gazing at her.

No words were spoken when, as if in slow motion, Neville raised his right hand to touch Luna's right cheek, holding it there. She held his gaze, eyes slightly wide in surprise, but she made no attempt to move from his touch. His hand was soft, slightly calloused from his work with quills and Herbology, and it set her skin on fire beneath it.

He wasn't sure what he was doing, but he hoped it wasn't showcasing his awkward nature. Luna's brilliant silver-blue eyes were unblinking, and her slightly thin pink lips were parted. Neville closed his own eyes, lashes fluttering against his cheeks, and, with shaking limbs, leaned toward Luna. Slowly. She let her own eyes close, anticipating the kiss that was sure to come. Her first kiss.

"Am I interrupting something?"

A slightly smug Professor McGonagall strode into the room, hiding a smile as Neville and Luna jumped apart, each banging various limbs against the desks.

"Er, no, Professor, sorry, just-" Neville began to stutter.

"Discussing measurements, I'm sure. Debating whether that one can pass for three feet?" the Professor interrupted, waving her wand and sending a stray parchment flying onto the desk.

They both looked into their laps simultaneously, donning pink cheeks and fidgeting feet.  
In a matter of minutes, Professor McGonagall had busied herself again, paying no attention to the two almost lovebirds. Neville, glancing at his Professor first, leaned to whisper into Luna's ear.

"So are we still on for Hogsmeade?"

"Why wouldn't we be? No interruptions in The Three Broomsticks," Luna whispered back, brushing a hand over the patchwork skirt beneath her robes. Neville smiled.

"So I've heard."

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_If you read this whole chapter, thank you so much - I know, it was super long! Please, _please_ don't be afraid to leave reviews, good or bad (though please do keep the bad ones polite) because they make my day! (Especially if there's a spelling or grammar error, I'd love to know.) Thanks so much! - Elle _


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **_Well, guys, this is it. The last chapter. I'm afraid it doesn't quite live up to the expectations Chapter 3 left, but, oh well. Sorry, though. :( A very special thanks to two very special people: Lise, my counterpart on this account, for her support and help! She's got an absolutely adorable Ron and Hermione story that's up (called_ Butterflies and Warm Fuzzies_)_,_ and she's going to be posting another story very soon - check them out! And, also, my most supportive reader in the world, _**_chaansan._**_ She helped me so much with her reviews and support and just how sweet she was! If you're ever looking for an absorbing can't-put-your-computer-down read, definitely check out her story _Suddenly._ It's a to die for read. If that makes any sense. ANYWAY, sorry about the excruciatingly long intro... Without further ado, I present the last part of _Those Wretched Blubbering Humdingers!

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Her hands shook as she brushed out her hair, but she didn't know why.

"Luna, are you okay?" Ava Wilkinson, a beautiful crimson-haired girl in Luna's dormitory, questioned, pausing a minute to look at her nervous peer.

"Yes, quite alright," Luna assured the girl, plastering on a smile. Ava was in too much of a rush to notice its lack of authenticity.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll sort it out. At least you don't have detention with that monster Snape in two minutes," Ava replied, frantically searching through her trunk for something. Luna gave her a hum of sympathy and returned to her rhythmic brushing and detangling until the untimely Ravenclaw had fled the room, leaving it empty.

Clothes weren't usually - or ever - a source of worry for the whimsical Luna, but she seemed to be worrying about everything more than usual tonight. Including if she should have even agreed to go out. Neville certainly was sweet, and she had to admit that he was turning into a particularly good-looking wizard (not that physical appearances were her main concern), but she just wasn't sure about what to think. Something was bothering her, and she had a suspicion that it was something she shouldn't be worrying about.

Something akin to embarrassment.

Luna shook her head, bit her lip, and opened her trunk for the search of something to wear. However, no matter how much she ignored it, the feeling nagged, taunting her relentlessly.

Another student in Luna's year entered the dormitory in search of a textbook. "You look dressed up for a Saturday," the girl observed, a mischievous tone in her voice. "Going anywhere?"

A slightly bitter taste bubbled up in Luna's throat at the question. What was this nosy girl, one she didn't hardly know in the first place, going to think when she heard the name Neville Longbottom? Neville had basically became a connotation for awkward and loser in his six years at Hogwarts, despite his connections with Harry. Luna decided to stoop a little lower than she normally would.

"You've read The Quibbler, I assume? Right, well, if you haven't gotten your hands on the latest edition, I'm sure you don't know about the Bogtailed Flobberworm. Flobberworms, the miserable creatures, have begun to have been sighted in marshier areas compared to their traditional habitats-" Luna closed her blonde-lashed eyes in mock-bliss, channeling her inner naturalist - and liar - to spin a nonsense tale about a nonsense creature. She was sure an irritating girl like this would not stick around long enough to hear exactly where Luna was going.

"Oh, bloody h- Just remembered, I agreed to meet some friends at Honeydukes in five! Sorry!" And with that flippant farewell, the girl ducked out the door back into the common room empty-handed. Luna couldn't help grinning - that was, until she checked the time herself.

She had ten minutes to meet Neville down outside the Great Hall, and she didn't feel prepared mentally in the least bit. Luna clipped on her iridescent beetle wing necklace, attempting to finish her look, but she couldn't shake the guilt. She felt awful about having lied to the obnoxious intruder about Neville - if she was ashamed of him, how was she going to survive this outing without breaking his heart? After all, Luna had never - in any way, shape, or form - labelled or thought of herself as a heart breaker. She had often felt that she had a Gryffindor spirit in the matter of bravery, but she was proving herself a coward tonight.

Five minutes.

The blonde slipped into her shoes and pulled her winter robes over her shoulders, hiding the electric blue tights she'd chosen. She took a deep breath, opening her diaphragm like a wind player, before walking to and out the dormitory door with light steps.

Neville had hardly been so nervous in his life, which was saying a lot. He'd fought Death Eaters and faced several other nerve-testing feats, but in the end, he'd emerged with the same amount of braveness. He was fairly certain, at this time, that the amount was pitifully small.

A few minutes had passed, and Neville was growing even more restless. Standing alone just outside the Great Hall, he could feel the eyes of passing students burning into him. His mind was growing paranoid, imagining them mocking him in their own minds. You need a drink of water. Neville took a deep breath and set off in search of a source of water to clear his paranoia.

Finally, a nervous Luna took her last turn down the hallway. There was the great entrance to the Great Hall; where was Neville? Her light brows knitted together in confusion. She was almost certain she was late, so where was Neville? What if he had decided against meeting her because he was afraid of her whimsical outfits, fearing that she would wear a flaming headpiece or something of the sort? Just as Luna was about to whirl around in a thoughtless storm back to Ravenclaw tower to collect her wits, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Luna? Sorry, I had to go get a drink," Neville said, forcing a somewhat genuine smile. Inside, his teeth were all but chattering.

"Oh, it's fine," she assured him, smiling. Her hands were clasped together with a white-knuckled grasp. The two stood facing each other, all smiles and rosy cheeks, until Neville finally spoke up, breaking the awkward silence.

"Er, shall we go?" he asked, offering his elbow to Luna without thinking. She smiled, finally relaxing a bit now that she was with him, and took his arm. They walked the short while to Hogsmeade with little conversation, giving time for both of them to sort out their thoughts.

Luna Lovegood realized she'd been embarrassed to go on a date with Neville. Not because of how he actually was inside - her favorite times had recently become those she spent alone with him - but because of the shallowness she hid within. Looking at Luna, one would never suspect superficial traits hidden anywhere inside her extravagant, out-of-the-ordinary outfits - not even she would have. She wasn't sure when or how the trait had entered her, but she didn't like it. And, defiant as she was, Luna decided to go against it. She gently pulled herself closer to Neville's arm, almost in a possessive fashion. She wasn't going to let her worst side get the best of her.

And Neville fought his own battles. Besides the terrible shaking fingers and jittery stomach, he was fighting the notion that Luna really didn't want to be there. Just as he was about to suggest a raincheck of some sort, maybe because of the weather, Luna tightened her grip on his arm, obviously moving closer to him. It set his heart into a frenzy and his hopes soaring. He promised himself that he would try to make it work.

In their comfortable silence, arms linked in a slightly awkward fashion, they entered The Three Broomsticks. Madam Rosmerta, her curls pinned back sloppily but elegantly, gave the two a broad smile as she filled another customer's mug with Firewhiskey. Neville returned the gesture before ducking toward the back of the pub, even as Luna gave a lingering wave and light, "Hello!".

Luna released Neville's arm when they arrived at a cozy little corner table, nearly hidden from the bar by a large group of wizards. They took their seats and blinked awkwardly at each other, she with a warm, airy smile, and he with a profuse set of red cheeks.

A slightly overrun-looking Madam Rosmerta set two foaming glasses of Butterbeer down on the couple's table. After shooting a wink at Luna, she set off toward the bar to tend to whatever it was that had to be done.

"So, er..." Neville trailed off to clear his throat. "Sorry, I'm just... Nervous?" he ventured. Luna laughed, not unkindly.

"So am I," she said with another tinkling laugh. A laugh that somehow made Neville more nervous. His stomach, already fluttering, began to churn in the way only excitement can make it. Sweet Luna, having read the thoughts on his face, put her hand on his. He looked up once more, his painful nerves blatantly obvious.

"Those wretched Blubbering Humdingers," she all but whispered, letting her pink lips curve into a half smile. And then, right across the tabletop, Luna stood and laid her lips on Neville's. Only for a second, with a touch as gentle and light as a feather, but it was enough to shoot the poor boys's eyes wide open.

"You are such a good person," he breathed, shaking his head in awe. "Such a good person. And beautiful, too." Now it was Luna's turn to blush. "Those Humdingers really are wretched, aren't they, making us blush like idiots?" Neville asked, his voice holding a tone of teasing flirtation.

Luna brushed her hand through the mass blonde curls rippling down her shoulder like a waterfall, letting a smile creep onto her features. "Indeed."

And, finally, after a slightly painful start to their night, the conversation began to move. Just like in McGonagall's office, they talked and talked, never running out of things to speak of. There wasn't any first-date stiffness or awkwardness - they spoke with the closeness of an elderly couple and with the eagerness of the young pair they were. Neville couldn't keep himself from drinking in her moon-like eyes, and Luna couldn't take her stare from his face. She was in awe of the things he held that no one else seemed to see. She could see his nobility rather than his awkward demeanor. She saw courage greater than that of anyone she knew, courage that, undoubtedly, would spark something larger than even he someday. And, somewhere deep down, she felt like the luckiest girl in the world. She had found someone worth fighting for, someone everyone else had passed by because the very best parts of him weren't outward. She was proud and she was glad she'd kissed him. Her first kiss.

"I know it's a Saturday," Madam Rosmarta began her interruption, "but you two have a curfew at the castle and I don't want to be the cause of you missing it. Now, move along!" She winked at the couple. Neville smiled at her and dropped a few knuts into her palm before offering his arm, once again, to Luna. Only this time, she wasn't reluctant.

Right back into Hogwarts they trodded, arm and arm, shoulder to shoulder. Through the stares and whispers they walked, and not even a twinge of embarrassment tainted their embrace.

* * *

_Aww! Tears! It's done! Thank you _so _much if you've stuck it out til the end with me! I love you guys. This story was so fun to write, but I honestly don't know if I could have continued without all of you who Favorited, Followed, and Reviewed. You're amazing! Thank you all! _

_Adiós,_

_**Elle**_


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